We all need a pair of rose colored glasses these days to view the world how we would love to envision it in our own mind. Quiet, stress free, peaceful. I’m always optimistic when I ring in another new year, that this is going to be the year of change…like …well…weight loss…yes, I jump back on that band wagon every January 1 only to jump off of it January 2 and say “you know what, self? I like eating” I do….mostly I just love eating Dana’s cooking, not my own. I think if it were up to me to cook all the time, I would lose weight because I just don’t enjoy that element – cooking…baking is a whole different story. And then, as my friend Margot put’s it theres that Pause in life when we ladies go a little Meno…yes, that has happened. I swore I wouldn’t embrace it, but well, it refuses to let go…so ….

Available on etsy

then this happened….. Reality Check…more like Old People Reality check… I was working last week at the Waterfront Zipline, it was cold….and really there weren’t many people out and about that evening so a co-worker and I were chatting at the ride operators station when she said….”Hey, you’re like a MOM figure….I wanna ask you something…”….(stop. dead. in. my. tracks…..) What? Did she say MOM figure? When did I get old enough to be eveyone’s Mom figure? REALITY SLAP…yes, I’m the oldest team member at the zipline. I tend to think we’re all a bunch of fun kids…but then I remember hey, I’m the Mom figure! So okay, she totally didn’t mean anything by it….and I took no offense, but my age difference did suddenly slap me in the face….

Monday I go to the lady doctor where I’ll discuss such pleasant things as yearly mammograms and all the adventures we ladies of age get to experience at this golden time of our life. I swear mamogram machines are engineered my males because if women engineered them, they would operate totally different…….

On the FLIP side of all this, 2015 has been a great year of self examination, adventure, sorrow, laughter, happiness, crying spells, and other such nonsense. Would I have it any other way? Nope..

Mariah and I traveled to London in February to complete another book – Leather Jewelry, which I’m proud to say has been released. Leather jewelry is HOT HOT HOT now, it’s the coolest material and works so well with funky junky jewelry designs that I so happen to love. (check out my upcycled belt bracelet tutorial )

Happy to say it spent several weeks as #1 in the Leathercrafting category on Amazon. Not too long after I returned home from London, I jumped right back on a plane with Hubby to go to South Africa on a hunting safari and one of the BEST moments in this year and also one of the most enlightening. Two highlights for me personally on that trip were going back to visit all the kids at the Mpapouli school and getting my own zebra. Read about it here…..(our first trip is here)

When I came home there was a world wide frenzy about hunting in Africa – which also made me the victim of cyber bullying. I learned the biggest lesson in social media, hypocrisy and down right stupidity of people and more specifically people that I have somewhat of a connection with….like same industry connection. It’s hard to argue with the Bible when it says this at Proverbs 18:13 “When anyone replies to a matter before he hears the facts,It is foolish and humiliating.” (NWT) I still personally find it hard to believe that someone would try to go out of their way to ruin another’s reputation without knowing all the facts…or even THE facts…. but they did, and they spurred several others to join them….and guess what? Joke’s on them….they and all their crafting friends who hate hunting…but LOVE to make leather jewelry!….WOW! How does that work?

I’m actually glad that it happened. It made me really think, and re-evaluate my thoughts, position and I’m even stronger for it today. Most importantly I can stand up proudly for what I believe it with solid facts, not merely what the media “wants” you to think. (I have an article about that…)

Social media is a double edged sword. It’s kinda like a knife, when used properly a knife is a useful tool, it cuts stuff – like onions for fried potatoes, slices polymer clay canes….and then there are the uglies like when you cut your finger, or when people use it to assalt other people and judge them while sitting behind the privacy and security of a computer screen. Bullies…weak…jealous…people….. Lots of things happen to “OTHER” people…we tend to think they would never happen to us….and then they happen to us…. time to re-evaluate…..yeppers….movin on….. It’s now summer time….

Spent the most amazing time with my California family who came to visit us in Branson. Went to Silver Dollar City, boys went fishing, Kelly and I junked a little and spent a whole lotta time together in the studio. I love my cousin Kelly – she’s like my sister. She gets me. She has a pretty awesome family and one week was just not enough time. They went home…we went to Florida. Took my dad with us and for the first time ever he fished in the ocean! He was awesome and loved every minute of it. We went to the beach and little Carlee got to wake up ON the beach….she loved it…and I was so thankful that we could take the entire family and spend some quality time together and bond – just wish mom was here….

The rest of the summer just flew by. I spent quite a bit of time working social media at Parakeet Pete’s and interacting with guests and entertaining some celebraties. I love that job – lots of fun and everyone has a story. – and we’ve just set up a blog…so you can read about some of the fun stuff happening there

This fall we took a trip to Louisana for Gator hunting, duck huntin, shrimpin, crabbin, redfishin and floundering….it was a great time out in the marshes. Dana spent nearly all of October and November hunting Elk, Deer, squirrels in the back yard, birds, coyotes….so much we had to add an additonal deep freeze…we’re set with meat for a couple of years….

Now I’m back in the studio, enjoying my time creating and socializing, building websites and taking on the challenges of life. It’s a day to day process….some are good…some are okay. But the reality is I’m thankful that I wake up each morning and that I have a safe loving family to be with. I still take time to reflect and most recently I’ve started a journaling project called “while you

were sleeping”. Actually it’s a journal for my Mom. I know I’m going to see her again – not in heaven, but right back here on earth to fulfill God’s original purpose. I have lots to catch her up on. She is going to want to know what all she missed while she was sleeping. She doesn’t know about many of the world events that are fulfilling Bible prophecy. She doesn’t know she’s a great grandma. She hasn’t met Carlee Jane. But she will and I want to be able to let her know what it was like to survive all this stuff. To tell her what Carlee said and did when she was little. Like just this past weekend when we were at Target and she saw a Minion display…. she looks at it and says in the perfect Minion imitation voice “Bah-NAN-NAHHHHHHHHHHS!” Oh I laughed so hard I cried….the more I laughed, the more she kept making me laugh. She’s just the most awesome-est little girl and brings us so much joy in our lives on a daily basis….and she’s only 2 1/2!

I write about stuff …the kind of stuff you share with your mom. I miss her…it’s not so bad since I write her nearly every day. Reflecting back, this was the best idea I’ve had this year. She’s not so far away….I talk to her every day…. It starts out… Goodmorning Momma and always ends with “One more day closer…I love you…”

Who know’s what 2016 will bring each of us. Our future is bright, though the world;s is dim. Can’t wait for this next chapter….

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Polymer Clay – Project Club

Linda is a professional artist, consultant and author in the Arts and Crafts/Creative Industry. Born in St. Louis, and native to Southern Missouri, she is constantly on the search for ways to inspire others with creativity. Read More…